Pocket lighter



Jan. 14, 1930.

C. J.` LAGERHOLM POCKET LIGHTER Filed March 9. 1927 2y SheetsSheatl gnam/tov 617535006 Laber/501711,

atten/nu Jan. 14,' 1930. c. J. LAGERHQLM 1,743,610

POCKET LIGHTER .aRofrMQaq Patented Jan. v14, 1930A UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CARL JULIUS LAGERHOLM, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB Tv EVANS CASE COMPANY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF m- SACHUSETTS POCKET LIGHTER Application filed March 9, 1927. Serial No. 178,869.

This invention relates to improvements in pocket lighters or igniters for cigarettes, cigars and the like, and the primary object is to provide a device of this character, of simple inexpensive construction, and one which will be reliable in operation and durable in use.

A further object of the'invention is to furnish a pocket lighter case formed of sheet metal sections to facilitate the inexpensive manufacture of the'device.

A still further object is to provide a pocket lighter casing with an internal baille designed to separate the absorbent containing chamber from the pyrophoric stick chamber, whereby the absorbent will be prevented from interfering with the housing of the pyrophoric stick whle the latter is being inserted or removed. The baille is made of readily bendable material, so that its upper end may function as a guide for the absorbent material while the latter is bein-g fed into the casing. Said upper end of the baille may subsequently be straightened out, from the exterior of the casing, so 'that it will not interfere with the insertion or removal of the pyrophoric stick housing.

Another object is to provide improved means for attaching the pyrophoric stick.

housing to the top of the casing, so that the abrasion wheel in each lighter made in accordance with my invention, will be properly aligned with the wick to produce lighting of the latter.

A further object is to furnish an improved wick tube through which the wick may be threaded before inserting the wick in the casing, such wick tube being readily detachable from the casing, so that the wick may be threaded into the tube while the tube is detached from the casing.

Another and important object of this invention is to provide the abrasion wheel with a' noval element for rotating the same, such element involving an auxiliary wheel having a tapered roughened edge to. permit the operator to readily 'manipulate the tapered wheel by his thumb, while the casing rests in the palm of his hand.

Another object is to provide an improved snuifer and abrasion wheel engaging lever. With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is an enlarged perspective of my vimproved pocket lighter with the snuffer closed position.

showing these sections before they have been fastened together.-

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The drawings show the parts somewhat enlarged t facilitate illustration, but it may be stated that as the device must be light and neat, in actual practice, it is only about two inches in height and less than an inch and one-half in width.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the casing l of my device is preferably formed of an imperforate bottom 2, a perforated Itop 3, and

two sides 4 and 5. It will be observed that the ends `2 and 3 are Astepped and each step 7a has substantially semi-elliptical ,edges 6 interrupted by notches 7, and 'this configuration is the same as a plan of the casing. Each side is formed of a sheet metal stamping and is of substantially semi-elliptical shape viewed from the end, and is pro-` vided near its edges with channel shaped partsor beads 8, which, when the parts are fitted together, Venter the notches 7 of the .steps 7 a, and thus interlock between the ends and sides of the casing. The upper and lower ed es of the sides 4 and 5 are preferably sol ered as shown at 7b to the u per v latter during the use of the lighter.

Before the sections `of the casing are assembled, a-baille 10 is fixed to the side section 5. This bale is preferably of bendable sheet metal, and hastabs or tongues 11 which may be secured to the part 5 by solder or the like. The baille 10 originally has its upper end bent to one side, as shown at 12, and after the casing is assembled, the bame occupies the position shown in Fig. 3. At 'this time,- a suitable mass of absorbent material 13 may b e fed into the casing through a relatively large opening 14, and the inclined portion 12 of the baille will function as a guideway to direct the absorbent mass into the com artmenil or chamber to the rig-ht of the ba e. After the absorbent has been laced in the container, any suitable slender instrument may be inserted in the hole 14' to engage the upper end of the baille, kand then" y manipulatin the instrument, the upper end of the e may be swung over -to the right in thedirection of the `arrow 15 in Fig. 4. `This brings the entire' baille into a vertical position so' that the absorbent 13 is prevented from-moving into the chamber 16, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Prior to this invention, it has been customary to thread the wick 17 of pocket lighters through a relatively small holein the top of the casing, and as the wick is very minute, this is sometimes a diilicult task. To overcome this objection, I provide the top of the casing with a relatively large' screw threaded aperture 18 which is of considerably larger diameter than the wick. Consequently, the/y wick may be readily threaded through this hole into the casing. To close this hole and provide a guide for the wick, I provided a wick tube 19 havin an annular flan e 20 and a screw-threa ed 4part 21, the atter being adapted for screwing into the hole 18. The edge of the flange 20 is preferably roughened to facilitate screwing the-tube into osition..

I ave also improved the pocket lighter by changing the pyrophoric element 22. The metal tube 23, spring 24, adjusting cap 25, p'rophoric stick 26 and abrasive wheel o lthis element `are ofthe usual construction. Ordinaril the tube 23 was threaded into the top of t e container. For this pursleeve has internal threads to engage the l threads of the tube, and before assembly, the sleeve 28 is screwed up on the tube until the top of the sleeve abuts against an annular shoulder 29 on the tube. -The .sleeve has a smooth exterior surface, as shown, and after the sleeve has been screwed up tight on the tube, the tube and sleeve are inserted in the compartment 16 until the flange yon the top of the sleeve engages the top 3 of thel casing.

Then the wheel 27 isaligned with thev wick 17, that is', it is placed in the same vertical plane which passes through, the center of the holey 18, and then the sleeve is secured to the top 3 by solder or the like. After this,

' whenever it is necessary to remove the pyrophoric element 22, theiwheel 27 is used like a thumb screw, and this causes the threads of the tube 23 to unscrewfrom the sleeve 28. While the' tube 23 is being screwed orunscrewed, the balelO prevents the absorbent material from interfering. The tube 23 is provided at its upper` lendwit-h .the usual ears 31' which support the shaft 32 on which the abrasion wheel is mounted. In accordance with my invention, the wheel is fixed to the shaft 32, and one end ofthe shaft is pro` vided with 'a thumb wheel 33 which is fast onthe shaft. This thumb wheel is preferably of substantially semi-spherical shape, and its rounded fact is roughened or milled as shown at 34. Owing to this construction theA operator may hold the casing in the palm of his hand and manipulate the thumb wheel Aby engagin the rounded face of the same and movin 's thumb in a curved arc. This causes the a rasion wheel 27 to grind off particles of the pyrophoric stick 26, which particles in incandescent condition, vmove toward the wick to ignite the latter. Of course, the absbr ,ent material is saturated with a suitable yliquid fuel which ymay be poured -into the casing through the openlng 14.

A p lst 35 is xed in an opening 36 in the top of the casing in any suitable manner,

and'it has a vforked upper end 37 and a cavity 38. A lever 39 is pivotally mounted in the fork 37, on a shaft 40, and it hasangular surfaces 41 and 42 which coact with a spring 27 pressed plunger 43 to hold the 'lever in the the wheel tends to preventthe lever from moving laterally, and when the device is to be used,the operatorplaces his thumb against the surface 46 of the leverto move the latter from horizontal to vertical position. Then, when the thumb wheel 33 is turned in the direction of the arrow, sparks will be thrown by the wheel 27 to ignite the wick 17.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pocket lighter, a casing having an aperture in oneof its ends, a substantially vertical bale arranged in the casing and dividing the same into a plurality of compartments, said baiiie being formed of pliable metal and havingone `of its end portions fxed to the casing, and Aits other end portion extending towardA the apertured end of the casing, the 'last mentioned end por- 'tion of the baiile forming a pliable tongue which ma be readily bent to facilitate the feeding o filling material through said aperture into the casing.

2. In a pocket lighter, a casing havin an aperture in one of its ends, a sleeve fitte in the aperture, fixed to the end of the casing and having internal screw threads, a tube' havin external threads engaging the threa s ofthe sleeve, means for limiting the turning movement of the tube into the sleeve, a fork Vermanently fixed to the tube, an abrasion w eel rotatabl fork exteriorly of the casing, a yrophoric stick arranged 'in the'tube van saidA wheel, a wick' projectin through the end of the casing havingsai aperture, the

threads of the tube and sleeve arranged to cause the wheel to ali with the wick when engaging said stick, and a wick extending throu h the end of the casing, the threads of t e tube and sleeve being so arran ed that the wheel must align wlth the wic when. the tube has been turned to the limitof its movement within the sleeve.

o. JULIUS LAGERHOLM.

mounted on the the tube has been turned 4to the limit of its m/vement within the sleeve. i3. In,a pocket lighter, a casing to the end of the casing'and having internal ing through said -sleeve and havin external tably mounted on the fork and engaging i having an apertured end, a sleeve in the aperture, xed

` screw threads, a tube extending into the casl i 

